Thomas millen



P. N. u L m M m T.

(Applcatioa'led Och 2, 1897.)

(N0 Model.)

/NVENTQR MM MW/ Aitor/ne] wwf Immun litten @rares Patient retient THOMAS MILLEN, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

SIGN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 608,616, dated August 9, 1898. Application filed October 2, 1897. Serial No. 653,773. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may 0071/007171,.-

Beit known that I, THOMAS MILLEN, ofthe city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rotating Display-Signs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to signs, and it has reference particularly to devices of this nature specifically known as rotatable display-signs and generally used on street-railways to designate on the cars their destinations, which in many cases have to be often changed.

My invention is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a front view of the device, showing the sign and its supporting and operating means, certain parts of the device being broken away to better show the sign. Fig. 2 is a side view of a portion of a car-roof, showing the device in place on said roof at one end thereof. Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view of the device, and Figs. 4c to 7 are views of certain details of the construction of my device.

In said drawings the numeral l denotes an elongated rectangular block-provided with trunnions 2 and 3, projecting one from each end thereof and having bearings in vertical brackets or supports 4 and 5, respectively, secured to the roof of the car. The block may or may not show on its several faces the names of some of the different destinations of the car, just as desired. The block is adapted to carry four sign-boards 7, one against each of the faces of said block and each provided on both of its own faces with the names ofdifferent destinations of the car. These sign-boards are adapted to be changed to show their different faces as occasion requires, and for this reason are removably secured to the block. The means for detachably mounting said sign-boards on the block consists of a cap 8, that is secured to one end of the block and is provided with a fiange a, projecting toward the other end of the block and surrounding and spaced from the latter for the reception of each sign-board and a corresponding cap 9, that is diagonally divided to form two sections ZJ and c, and that is also provided with a flange d, corresponding and similar to the flange a of the cap S. The fianges a and d are so formed that they constitute bands that closely lit the exposed face and two edge surfaces of each signboard. The sections ofthe cap 9 arereinovably held in place against the end of the block by means of readily-removable screws 10 of any suitable form, which penetrate each sec'- tion. By dividing the cap diagonally to form the sections two sign-boards maybe released at a time. If the block is so arranged previously to detaching a cap-section that one of the sign-boards held thereby is uppermost on the block, that sign-board will not be displaced when the section is removed, and the operation will not, therefore, be awkward.

In a suitable screen l2, extending over the device and terminating at the front in a reflector I3, I have arranged an illuminating apparatus consisting, preferably, of electric incandescent lamps 14, the bulbs of which are situated just above and in front of the sign-board that is exposed to` observation. The screen is supported on standards 15, which may be hollow and any one of which may receive the wires of the electric-lighting apparatus. The reflector 13 is so arranged relatively to the front sign board that the light is thrown directly upon it.

The block is revolved by the following mechanism: The trunnion 2 is provided with an integral bevel-gear 1G, and meshing with said gear is another bevel-gear 17, rigidly mounted on a vertical staff `18, provided at its lower endvwith a knob or handle 19 and projecting downwardly through the roof of the car. The upper end of said staff is j ournaled in an overhanging arm 20, integrally formed on the support 4:.

In order that the block when it has been rotated by the staff and bevel-gearing to assume a given position may be made to retain that position, I have provided on the staff a pair of coacting annuli 2l and 22, having engaging and coinciding notches and recesses 23. Either the notches or the recesses correspond in number to the number of faces of the block; One of said annuli (the lower one' 22) is rigidly mounted on said staffand the other one of said annuli is loosely mounted thereon and held against the lower one 22V by means of a IOO spiral spring 24, disposed between the annu-A lus 2l and the bevel-gear 17 and coiled about the staff. To prevent the annulus 2l from turning with the staff', said annulus is provided with a lateral projection or lug 2G, that engages and slides in a guide or slot 25, formed in the support 4.

The operation of the device will be obvious without explanation.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an advertising apparatus, the combination with a base and two upright supports, of a revoluble sign journaled at its ends in said supports and provided with inscriptions on its faces, the one of said supports being provided With a guide-slot, a staff arranged contiguous to said last-named support, intermeshing bevel-gears the one of which is carried by the sign and the other of which is carried by the staff, coacting annuli arranged on said staff in contact with each other and having coincident projections and recesses on their adjoining faces, the upper one of said annuli being reciprocatorily arranged on said staff and provided with a projection extending into said guide-slot in the adjoining support and the other of said annuli being fixed on said staff, and a spring disposed between the upper annulus and the bevel-gear on said staff, substantially as described.

2. In an advertising apparatus for a streetcar, the combination with a base and two upright supports the one of which is provided with a horizontal arm and with a vertical guide-slot, of a revoluble horizontally-arranged sign provided with inscriptions on its faces, trunnions secured to the ends of said sign and journaled in said support, a vertical staff projecting through the car-roof, j ournaled at its upper end in said arm and provided with a handle at its lower end, intermeshing bevel-gears the one of which is carried by the staff and the other of which is carried by the adjacent trunnion, coacting annuli arranged on said staff in contact with each other and having coincident projections and recesses, the latter corresponding in number to the number of faces of said sign, the upper one of said annuli being reciprocaterily arranged on said staff and provided with a projection extending into said guide-slot and the other of said annuli being iixed on said staff, and a spiral spring surrounding, and arranged between the upper annulus and the bevel-gear on, said staff, substantially as described.

3. In an advertising apparatus, the combination of a revoluble block or frame, flanged plates arranged upon two opposing ends of said block, the flanges of said plates surrounding and being spaced from the block and one of said plates comprising removable sections, securing means for said sections, and signboards detachably secured to said block by said flanged plates, substantially as described.

4. In an advertising apparatus, the combination of a revoluble block or frame, flanged plates arranged upon two opposing ends of said block, the lflanges of said plates surrounding and being spaced from the block and one of said plates being diagonally divided to forni two removable sections, securing means for said sections, and sign-boards detachably secured to said block by said flanged plates, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing improvement in rotating display-signs, as above described, I have hereunto set my hand this 23d day of September, 1897.

THOMAS MILLEN.

lVi tnesses:

C. L. MALCOLM, J. H. BELL. 

